BBC sacks Margaret Thatcher's daughter for racist comment

Carol Thatcher, daughter of former British Premier Margaret Thatcher, has been sacked by the BBC after she refused to apologise for likening a tennis star to a 'golliwog', a racist term for blacks.

Carol Thatcher, a reporter on 'The One Show', had been overheard making the remark off the air while she was chatting in the green room with one of her colleagues and some guests, after 'having several drinks'.

But, according to BBC bosses, Carol had 'caused great offence to those who heard the wholly unacceptable comment'. She was asked to apologise for making it, but she refused.

A BBC spokesman told the British media, "Carol's job on 'The One Show' requires her to report on a wide variety of issues and to meet a diverse range of people. Many are unlikely to agree her comment was acceptable even as a joke. Her position on the show is no longer tenable and there are no plans to work with her in the future on that show because she has not said sorry".

Carol made the gaffe as she was discussing the Australian Open and Rafael Nadal's opponent Fernando Verdasco, describing him as the one who 'beat the golliwog' -- tennis star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in the previous round, sources said.

Even comedy star Jo Brand is said to have walked out of the green room in disgust when Carol made the remark about French-Congolese player Tsonga, who is the cousin of Premier League footballer Charles N'Zogbia.

However, when contacted, the daughter of 83-year-old Lady Thatcher said, "I am baffled by all this. I don't want to talk about anything."